She may not be a wedding planner in the future, but she was intrigued with the concept while looking for ideas online.

Â?It just sounded interesting,Â? Ashley said.

Their business teacher at Brandywine, Angela Mellott, attended the event and was pleased that her students were able to learn about entrepreneurship while creating their own businesses in a classroom setting.

Â?It gives them an opportunity to be creative,Â? Mellott said.

During the Portfolio Assessment segment, students from Berrien and Van Buren counties were able to have their portfolios evaluated by at least five individuals, including local business leaders, state department representatives and legislators.

In Cass County, the event took place at the Edward Lowe Foundation headquarters in Cassopolis.

Carla Feijoo had an opportunity to practice her interview skills and highlight her academic achievements to a portfolio assessor.

Â?It helps me know what is missing and what I need to do to make it perfect,Â? said Feijoo, a senior at Berrien Springs High School.

Â?It helps how to be more professional and be prepared for college.Â?

There was one suggestion the senior was given to make her portfolio better and that was Â?to add more pictures of my activities,Â? Carla said.

At one of the tables, assessor Julie Longstreet listened to Melissa Klann, a junior at Bloomingdale High School who attends the Van Buren Technology Center.

She wore her culinary uniform to the event and many of her pages highlighted her participation in the culinary program, like gaining work experience by serving banquets at LMCÂ?s Mendel Center and working with vendors at Notre Dame football games.

Â?It was a lot of stress but a lot of fun,Â? Melissa told Longstreet, who works for Berrien County Intermediate School District.

At the end of her presentation, Longstreet told Melissa that she was Â?very confident. It was very nicely done and you have another year to build on it.Â?

Longstreet had some suggestions. Some of the background colors on her pages were distracting, she said, adding, Â?You did an excellent job and I hope to be eating your food someday.Â?

The students had a choice of attending different student seminars with topics such as writing the right resume.

Â?A resume will portray you in a positive light in one page,Â? said presenter Louis Thomas, admission specialist at LMC. Â?Value space on a resume to make a first impression. ItÂ?s a marketing tool.Â?

Thomas told the group in his seminar that a cover letter can be an important part of a resume.